Jah

2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Divinities

Jah (pronounced /ˈdʒɔː/) is a name for God, most commonly used in the Rastafari movement. It comes from the Hebrew יָהּ = Yah [jah].

In the Rastafari movement

Rastafarians consider Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia to be God incarnate, whom they call Jah or Jah Rastafari. Ras Tafari (Prince Tafari) was the pre-coronation name of Selassie I. Jah is referenced in many reggae songs, including many Bob Marley songs, such as "Jah Is Mighty" and "Forever Loving Jah". William David Spencer, in his book Dread Jesus ( ISBN 0-281-05101-1), proposes that Archibald Dunkley and Joseph Nathaniel Hibbert were among the preachers that inspired the Rastafari movement, and that both were members of the Ancient Mystic Order of Ethiopia, a Prince Hall Masonic organization. Spencer believes that several features of the Rastafari movement derive from this lodge, including the name "Jah", from the Masonic form " Jah-Bul-On" as revealed in Royal Arch Masonry.

Other uses

Jah (Yah) is often used as a shortened form of the name Jehovah¹ or Yahweh. Thus, the term Hallelujah would mean "Praise Jah." In the West Indies, the recent popularity of Christian reggae has led to the use of the names "Jah" and "I and I" in Christian circles, especially among younger believers. This term is also used in Christian hip hop, typically for no reason but to rhyme, by such artists as KJ-52 and Pigeon John of LA Symphony. P.O.D. has also controversially popularized Rastafarian terms such as "Jah" among young Christians. According to the band, they use such terms to refer to elements of the Bible. Songs such as "The Messenjah" from Satellite and "Strength of My Life" from Testify (featuring Matisyahu) explicitly use common Rastafarian terms to describe elements of Christianity and Judaism. Matisyahu has also used Rastafarian terminology (particularly on his debut album Shake Off the Dust...Arise), but never to the same extent.

In the original text of the Hebrew Bible, "Jah" occurs 26 times alone and 24 times in the term "Hallelujah."

It is transliterated "Jah" in a single instance (Psalm 68:4) in the King James Version of the Bible, and An American Translation has "Yah" at the same place. The Jehovah's Witnesses' New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures contains "Jah" 50 times in the OT and 4 times in the book of Revelation. The complete Tetragrammaton is always rendered as Jehovah. Rotherham's Emphasised Bible includes 49 uses of Jah. Masoretic Tanach: Psalms 68:19, יָהּ אֱלֹהִים - Yah Elohim.

Iah

Jah is also an alternative spelling of the name of the Egyptian deity Iah, however, there is no connection between this name and the Semitic name Jah. The name of the Egyptian deity is spelt entirely different than the Hebrew Yah, and is actually pronounced something like "yeghahha". Also, "yeghahha" is the Egyptian word for moon, and Yah is a Hebrew name that means "The great One" or "He who causes to exist".

Reading

• Dread Jesus ISBN 0-281-05101-1
• The Way home or face The Fire ISBN 0-9583011-0-7
• JAH Truth